1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for shaping a glass sheet to a desired curvature, and more particularly to a glass sheet shaping apparatus having a device capable of replacing upper and lower mold members concurrently.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
One known apparatus for shaping a curved reinforced glass sheet for use as an automotive window glass sheet is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 53/12931. The disclosed apparatus operates by heating a glass sheet in a heating furnace up to the softening point of glass, feeding the heated glass sheet horizontally with conveyor rollers to a position between upper and lower mold members, raising the lower mold member above the conveyor rollers to receive the glass sheet on the lower mold member, and finally pressing the glass sheet to a desired shape between the upper and lower mold members.
When the shape of a glass sheet to be achieved by the shaping apparatus is to be varied, it is necessary to replace the upper and lower mold members with desired upper and lower mold members. The upper and lower mold members are fixed to respective surface plates secured to vertical cylinders of the shaping apparatus. For replacing the upper and lower mold members, therefore, they are detached from the surface plates, respectively, and delivered to respective stocking places. Then, new upper and lower mold members are brought from the stocking places to the shaping apparatus where they are fastened to the respective surface plates. Before the upper mold member is attached to the surface plate, it must be lifted up to the surface plate. After the upper and lower mold members are attached to the respective surface plates, their positions have to be adjusted so that they are axially aligned with each other.
As described above, the procedure of mold member replacement has heretofore been quite complex and timeconsuming. Furthermore, the replacement process requires a total shutdown of the facility for shaping glass sheets.